San Francisco in 5 Days: Bay Views, Parks and City Streets

Start with coffee and a browse of the food shops, then walk north along the Embarcadero. This is also a useful lunch option if you want to return after the Exploratorium.

Make the hands-on science exhibits the main visit today, especially with children. Spend a few hours inside, then continue to the North Beach hill and waterfront; the aquarium is a separate alternative.

Climb Telegraph Hill for the murals and city views, taking a break after the waterfront walk. Return downhill towards the wharves; use a bus for the climb if you prefer less hill walking.

Finish the waterfront day with a chocolate or ice-cream stop around the old factory buildings. Have dinner nearby or in North Beach.

Make the prison audio tour and island grounds the main morning visit. Return for a late lunch in North Beach, then continue with the neighbourhood walk; a bay sightseeing cruise does not include an island landing.

Walk past the twin-spired church on Washington Square after lunch in North Beach. The surrounding streets are a good place to linger over coffee before City Lights and the afternoon hill walk.

Browse the independent bookshop and the surrounding Beat-era streets. Continue towards North Beach cafés, then head uphill to Lombard Street for the final outdoor stop.

Finish with the crooked block’s gardens and steep street views. The walk uphill is part of the outing; public transport back from the surrounding streets saves retracing the climb.

Choose a few art collections for the morning, then spend the afternoon in Golden Gate Park’s gardens. The museum is normally closed on Mondays; use the waterfront or neighbourhood day then.

Walk the paths, bridges and planted courtyards after the de Young, with a tea break if you want one. It is beside the museum, so the two stops work as one compact morning.

Choose a loop through the plant collections after lunch. Continue east across the park towards the Conservatory of Flowers.

Visit the glasshouse collections or enjoy the building and flower beds from outside. Use this as the final park stop before dinner in the Inner Sunset or Haight; a long glasshouse visit can replace some Botanical Garden time.

The Palace of Fine Arts opens the Presidio day with a walk around the lagoon and colonnade. Continue west towards Crissy Field; the architecture and outdoor setting are the visit.

Follow the flat waterfront path towards the Golden Gate Bridge, stopping for coffee or a picnic. The walking route gives changing bridge views without requiring a full bridge crossing.

Visit the fort beneath the bridge when its interior is open, or use the outside waterfront viewpoint. The fort and bridge approach form the same coastal outing; return by bus or taxi after the walk.

Start with the familiar Victorian houses seen from Alamo Square. This is part of the park stop, followed by coffee and a walk or bus west towards Haight-Ashbury.

Walk to the park’s eastern side for the Painted Ladies and skyline view. The houses and park make one morning stop before Haight, the Castro and Mission.

Walk past the theatre frontage and through the surrounding Castro streets before heading to Dolores Park. Book an evening programme separately if one interests you; the daytime route uses the exterior.

After the Castro, pause on the lawns for a city view, then continue north to Mission Dolores. Finish with dinner around the Mission, where a burrito or a longer restaurant meal both fit the evening.

Visit the historic mission complex for the city’s Spanish-era history, or view the buildings from outside. It is a short walk from Dolores Park, with the rest of the evening reserved for the neighbourhood.

Optional museum in the Presidio for Disney’s life and animation history. Replace part of the coastal walk with a longer indoor visit; it is uphill from Crissy Field.

Optional full museum day for the aquarium, rainforest, natural history and planetarium. Replace the de Young-and-gardens route if travelling with children or keen on science; both museums are substantial visits.

Make Day 5 a deeper look at the Mission with a 3½-hour food and history walk, including murals and Oaxacan tastings. This replaces the wide sweep through Haight-Ashbury and the Castro; finish with Dolores Park rather than trying to fit every neighbourhood into the same afternoon.